RAPID INCREASE IN COUNTERFEIT BEAUTY PRODUCTS IN U.S.

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According to the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforement agency, the number of counterfeit beauty products is on the rise. Last Wednesday, five men in New York were arrested for selling branded counterfeit perfumes thanks to ICE Homeland Security Investigation. ICE also worked with the local police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to make this happen. The five men allegedly imported goods from China and sold them to New York wholesales and to at least six other states according to ICE. Chanel, Calvin Klein and Polo are just a few of the big brands they were caught selling counterfeits of.

One of ICE's spokesman, Kahhlid Walls, said that the people involved are profit motivated. “We are seeing more counterfeit beauty products and cosmetics, and that specific area is an area where we’re aggressively targeting the individuals who sell those goods, which [was] the purpose of yesterday’s effort,” explained Walls. Kahhlid Walls also pressed that the reality is consumers do not know what they are getting in a counterfeit beauty product or cosmetic.

Elizabeth Musmanno is the president of The Fragrance Foundation is believes that counterfeiting beauty products such as fragrances is not only a crime, but a violation of the artists who created said perfumes. Musmanno also states that is a violation of the trust between retailers and consumers.

The Fragrance Foundation firmly supports the efforts of law enforcement agencies and organizations to fully prosecute those who participate in these illegal and hurtful operations.
– Elizabeth Musmanno

The Department of Homeland Security made 2,301 seizures of pharmaceuticals or personal-care products in fiscal 2015. These items were valued at just over $75 million retail.